Wheelsets of trackbound vehicles must have protection from corrosion. Wheelsets are the wheels and the axles inclusive of the bogies and underframes of the trackbound vehicles. For the purposes of the present invention, wheelsets are preferably the wheels and axles of the trackbound vehicles. In passenger transportation and particularly in high-speed transportation, the abovementioned parts do not only require protection from the effects of weathering but are also subject to high mechanical stress caused by airborne stone fragments and the like. The coatings must therefore be very robust, tough and flexible, in order to avoid damage to the wheelsets by the abovementioned airborne stone fragments. It is known that 2-component polyurethane compositions can be applied to the wheelsets for impact protection (5th Technical conference on ZfP im Eisenbahnwesen [Non-destructive testing in the rail transport industry], 4-6 Mar. 2008, Wittenberge). The applied thickness of the impact-protection coatings disclosed therein is at least 6 mm.
Particularly relevant factors in freight transport, on the other hand, are protection from corrosion and from mechanical load. Another requirement in freight transport is that the thermal stability of the coating is visually perceptible. It is moreover desirable that the coating reduces noise.
Since the coatings known hitherto do not exhibit satisfactory results, it is an object of the present invention to provide a further improvement in the protection provided by coatings of this type from corrosion and from impact. Another particular intention is to permit ultrasound testing of the wheelsets through the coating.